Unbreakable Bonds
by ddp456
Summary: Dipper awakes all alone in the Gravity Falls Forest and finds himself out of touch with reality - literally! To make matters worse, an seemingly invincible nemesis is pursuing him, trying to claim Dipper's soul as his own! Can Dipper find a way to break through to the real world and ultimately save himself? Please leave as many reviews, comments, and suggestions as you can. Thanks!
1. Chapter 1

"_Ohh…my head_…"

Dipper Pines opened his eyes as he tried to shake away the grogginess that seemingly overcame him. He slowly sat up, with every joint of his body throbbing in pain, and analyzed his situation.

"Where am I?" he asked himself. Dipper looked around to see that he was in the middle of a grassy meadow hidden within what appeared to be the Gravity Falls Forest.

"How the – how did I get here?"

The more Dipper tried to reminiscence about the last few hours, the more that his head pulsated in pain. He let out a cry as he held his hands against his throbbing temples. Dipper raised his head upwards to see that the sun was shortly setting alongside the orange sky, down into the treetops of the lush, green woods.

"Ugh…it's getting late," Dipper moaned, rising up to his feet. As he stumbled forward, the boy started to lose his balance. Dropping to one knee, Dipper took a few seconds to regain his strength. While resting, he glanced down to see that his stubby hands appeared to be moving blurs!

"WHOA…"

Dipper rubbed his eyes, trying to regain his clarity. He looked ahead to see that the natural beauty of the Oregon wilderness was blanketed was a form of haze.

"Something's not right…" Dipper rose up again, carefully pacing himself step by step. Even though he'd hated to do so, he figured that the fastest way back to the Mystery Shack was through the forest. After a few minutes of trying to locate the main path leading back home, the confused pre-teen found himself hopelessly lost.

"This is crazy; I know these woods like the back of my hand…" He attempted to laugh away his rising nervousness with a few, forced chuckles, "Heh, I must of hit my head _a lot_ harder than I thought…_I think_…"

With that moment, the last ounce of light exited the Gravity Falls Forest, leaving the slightly-stunned child alone in the pitch black.

"Oh, come on! I don't even get a bit of moon light!" He aimed his vision to see that the thickness of the treetops prevented any form of shine from illumining the area around him. Dipper staggered around in the darkness as a glow started to form from the most unlikely of places.

Dipper gasped in shock as a faintly purple fog had risen up from the forest floor. As the mist swirled around his ankles, he traced the oddity with his eyes back to the source.

From in between the distance covered with towering trees, Dipper could make out what appeared to be a black shadow, almost blot-like in shape, growing in structure. As the form moved closer, the young detective was paralyzed in fear as two pure white eyes stared him down.

A moment later, arms and legs grew outwards as the glow extended upwards into figure of a head. He narrowed his eyes to discover that the creature was anything but! Dipper was left speechless as a giant of a man stood before him!

The dark being, reaching almost as high as the trees surrounding him, sported a trench coat that draped down to his black boots. A morbidly striped tie stuck out in front of a ruined purple dress shirt. The man removed his ringed Stetson hat, revealing a head full of stingy, dark brown hair. Dipper quivered as the stranger addressed him:

"_Young one_…" the man's deep voice shook the normally-peaceful countryside. "_Your time here is at an end._" He extended a purple-gloved hand to the shaken child. "_Come_…" he beckoned. "_Come with me to the other side_…"

Dipper instantly started to backpedal away from the sight, "Wait, WHAT?!" He put his hands up in an effort to create some distance. "What are you talking about?"

"_Come_…" the mysterious being took a few steps in Dipper's direction.

"I'm not going anywhere with you!"

A sneer spread across the goateed face of the sinister individual. He snatched one of Dipper's arms, nearly knocking him off balance.

"_My young friend…you speak as if I am giving you a choice in the matter_…"

"NO!" Dipper shrieked as he dragged his feet. "NO! LET ME GO!" Left with no other option, Dipper planned a swift kick to his kidnapper's midsection. The pre-teen cried out in pain; it was almost like kicking cement!

"_Uggh_!" the otherworldly captor lost his grip on his prey. The mere surprise of Dipper's tenacity caught him off-guard.

"_You dare…attack me_?!" The monster motioned a clenched fist against his throat. "_You will pay for such insolence_!"

Without looking back, Dipper sprinted further away into the darkness, desperate to find any means of escape. He reflected on what his pursuer had claimed.

"What did he mean that 'my time was at an end?' Could he – why would he think that I was –" A horrific thought echoed through Dipper's mind. He shook away the negativity. "It can't be! _It just can't_! I mean, I'm here! _I'm still here_!"

He turned around to see if he was still being chased, "And besides, I think I would know if I had di-"

*CRASH*

Dipper was knocked instantly on his keister! It felt as if he had run right into a brick wall. He gazed up, failing to see the rising purple fog coming from underfoot.

The creepy stalker was standing before him! His demonic smile deepened.

"_You can run, dear child_…" he taunted. "…_but you can never hide_!"

With a burst of adrenaline, Dipper rose to his feet in a split second. In distress, he started to back away from the threat until he felt his sneaker slip through the soft ground.

"Huh?"

Dipper looked over his shoulder to see that he was teetering over a deep, yet lengthy hill. An idea quickly formed in his mind; Dipper knew that he probably was not faster or stronger than his nemesis, but chances were that he was smarter.

"Hey!" Dipper waved his arms in the air erratically. "Hey! I'm right here, you giant jerk! You want me so bad, then come and get me!"

With a low growl, the giant bent back, and amazingly (at least, in Dipper's perspective) pounced towards the boy with a single bound.

At the last second, Dipper threw himself downwards, just barely escaping the clutches of the man dressed in black. He could hear a deep scream stemming from over his shoulder. Clear of danger, Dipper stood back up and looked down the hillside, expecting to see his fallen chaser.

The bottom of the knoll was completely empty! The confused boy strained his eyes, trying to find any evidence of his enemy's departure.

"No indent in the ground, no muddy tracks…" Dipper mumbled to himself. "Absolutely nothing…" On a positive note, he noted that the creepy purple miasma that followed his adversary around had vanished as well.

"Okay…this is getting too weird, even by my standards…"

As if by fate, a shade of blue moonlight shone down upon the hapless sleuth, revealing a new, but narrow path.

"At last!" Dipper sighed to himself. "I have to hurry home! Maybe I can figure out who that was and what he wanted…"

After a few minutes of following various trails, more light came broke through the darkness clouding the Gravity Falls Forest. Dipper hustled faster for this could only mean that he was closer to his goal. Exhausted, he stopped to catch his breath, only to look up and smile upon the sight in the distance.

The Mystery Shack was within a striking distance! Dipper exhaled in relief, "Oh, the ol' dump has never looked so good!"

Dipper ran up to the porch to see that for some reason, the front door was left open. He hurried through and called out to his family and friends:

"Mabel! Grunkle Stan! Come quick! I think something weird's going on!" Left without a response, Dipper scuttled to the Gift Shop, only stopping in his tracks as he seen the lights shut off and everything somewhat neaten.

"Oh, that's right," Dipper remembered. "Wendy went on another trip with her family, so they had to close up shop a bit early." Upon reflection, he found it odd that while he could recall the trivial fact about his redheaded crush, he couldn't evoke what had happened to him only a few hours ago.

With his nervousness rising, Dipper ran to the kitchen. He dashed through the open doorway, only to find an empty, yet clutter-filled room.

"Great," Dipper bemoaned to himself. "Just great!"

Suddenly, the downtrodden boy could hear voices coming from the other side of the wall. He flew through the archway to see that his Grunkle Stan and co-worker, Soos, had just arrived home. Each were carrying two arms full of groceries.

"I'll tell ya, Soos," the old man ranted, "I love those kids, but they're eating me out of house and home! Just look at this bill!"

"Grunkle Stan! Soos!" Dipper greeted. "I'm so glad to see you guys! This weird guy was –"

"I hear ya, dude," Soos responded, cutting Dipper off. "Then again, Wendy does sneak a snack or two here and there. Appetite wise, she's like four or five Dippers or Mabels put together!"

"True, true," Stan groaned as he put the bags down, "but at the same time, it's a small price to pay to have her around to help keep an eye on the twins. Especially in Dipper's case; if it wasn't for Wendy, that kid would spend every day either with his nose in a book, or out in the woods analyzing animal droppings!"

Dipper smiled upon hearing his sweetheart mentioned by name, but kept in mind the importance of the matter at hand.

"Hey, guys. Don't mean to interrupt, but something happened – "

Soos let out a hearty laugh, "Yeah…" He inched closer to his employer. "Say, Stan," the gentle giant in green mused, "Between you and me, what do you think about…_those two_?"

"Huh?" The elder readjusted his glasses. "Oh, _that_. To me, the jury's still out on that one. There are just too many factors involved to make a judgment call. I mean, she could be just sparing his feelings. She may not be paying close enough attention when the kid gets all "googly-eyes" on her; after all, she's a nice girl, but she isn't exactly the brightest bulb out there…"

"HEY!" Dipper's protests went unnoticed.

"Or heck…" Stan took a second to give off a few chuckles of his own, "…she might be as scared of him as he is of her…"

Dipper was starting to lose his temper, "Do you guys think that this conversation might be better suited, you know, _when I'm not in the same room_?"

"Imagine that!" Soos joined in with Stan's laughter. "All's fair in love and war and such…" The two adults carried the bagged goods pass the shouting boy and towards the kitchen.

"Why aren't they listening to me?" Dipper asked himself. "They're treating me like I'm not even here…"

"Guys, wait, please!" the worried pre-teen asked. "Why are you ignoring me?! Was it something that I did?"

Both Soos and Stan continued on their way. Enraged, Dipper ran up to his great-uncle's side and reached out to halt him.

"Stan, wait a second! I need to –"

Dipper's mouth gaped open in horror as his hand literally went _through his Grunkle's shoulder!_

"No…" he cried out in disbelief. Still in a state of shock, he went to grab Soos's arm.

"Soos, please, I n – "

Once more, his arm went pass the man-child's burly limb. He could make out his own fingers on the other side of Soos's arm!

Dipper pulled back as nausea started to grow in the pit of his stomach. He turned to his side to see that he was standing in front of the mirror that Stan had stationed in the main hallway. Dipper's eyes shot open as he seen that there wasn't a reflection staring back at him.

Going into a full panic, Dipper started to hyperventilate. He held his arms up to his head as he rocked himself back and forth.

"None of this is making sense!" he stifled out. "I'm here, _but I'm not here_! What's happened to me?!"


	2. Chapter 2

Dipper Pines looked down at his hands in astonishment.

"How…" he stammered quietly, "How did I do that?" He looked straight towards the kitchen where his grand uncle and co-worker now resided. "My hands went straight through their bodies!"

The deep, disturbing voice of the stranger from the woods began to echo through the frantic child's mind:

"_Your time here is at an end._ _ Come with me to the other side_…"

"The other side?" Dipper questioned. "What if that weirdo was right? What if something _did_ happen to me?" The image of his black-clad adversary was implanted into his head. Dipper gulped at a possible apprehension, "What if – what if that big guy was a grim reaper of sorts – and worse of all, I just made him _really_ mad!"

Naturally, his rational side quickly took over, "But that's impossible!" Dipper took a quick gander over his short form, "I mean, there's no blood, no bruises, no broken bones; definitely no sign of injury." He continued narrating in an effort to reassure himself, "Besides, if I really was dea - um…the big "D," wouldn't there have been like, a white light, or cherubs playing on harps, or pearly gates, or something like that?"

As the reality of his situation began to sink in, Dipper's curiosity also grew as such. He stood up and walked over to the closet. Without thinking twice, he threw his hand back and launched a closed fist towards the old wooden door. Dipper's breath was knocked down of him as his tiny hand disappeared into the paneling.

"WHOA!" he exclaimed, moving his hand up and down the door. "This feels…so weird!" His arm felt no resistance as it miraculously broke several laws of physics. "Why didn't I notice this before?" He turned to look at the open doorway leading to Wendy's station in the gift shop. "Oh, yeah," he remembered, "The front door and the gift shop were both left open; I just ran right in!"

Dipper removed his hand and focused his attention on his black sneakers on the shoddy floor. He stomped down several times, only to discover that the ground remained as firm as ever.

"Odd," he observed. "My feet aren't sinking downwards at all…" He rubbed his little chin in thought, "It could be a case of "mind over matter," where my ghos – err – _see through form_ automatically knows what can be beneficially dangerous to me. The young detective had shivers sent down his spine as he imagined himself falling through the center of the Earth, only to end up on the other side in China.

Left without any other ideas, Dipper decided to regroup in his bedroom in the attic. He needed to think of a way to escape this new existence, as well as have a battle plan ready in case _his new friend_ was to track him down.

"Hopefully," Dipper wished. "I can lie down on my bed without me going through it!"

With a sense of hesitation, Dipper approached the staircase leading up to the second floor of the Mystery Shack. He carefully placed one sneakered foot on the first step, only to exhale in relief as he remained stable on top of it.

"PHEW!"

Feeling more confident, Dipper continued onward and put his hand onto of the staircase banister. Unfortunately, his palm went through the support, making him stumble roughly into his knees. He winced in pain as he gently climbed back to his feet.

"I guess I should consider that a good thing; after all, ghosts and spirits aren't supposed to feel pain…"

Dipper finally arrived in front of the room that he shared with his twin sister, Mabel. He reached for the doorknob to open the door, only to have his hand go through the knob. In irritation, he threw a palm up to his face.

"How stupid…" he chastised himself. "Gotta think ghost – bah- _see through_!"

Taking a deep breath, Dipper threw himself against the closed door. When he opened his eyes, he found himself on the other side. Despite achieving his goal, the boy simply shook his head, "I don't think I'll _ever_ get used to that…"

Dipper gently began to lower his back end onto his orange-blanketed mattress. When he discovered that the bed was solid enough to sit on, he immediately threw himself backwards in an effort to relax.

"OW!"

Dipper had bonked his head on something out on the bed. He turned slightly to see that he landed on top of his worn-put journal marked with the number three.

"Stupid book…" he mumbled as he rubbed the back of his head. Suddenly, the realization of what just happened had struck him.

"I felt the journal…I FELT THE JOURNAL!"

The excited boy reached for the ancient tome, only to discover that he was able to pick it up freely! With a renewed sense of hope, Dipper started to giggle with glee as he ran his fingers through the worn pages of the book.

"I can't believe it! How is it that…"

He stopped in his tracks as he recalled exactly what it was that he was dealing with.

"This thing is literally an encyclopedia for the supernatural and the paranormal," Dipper said, twisting and turning the novel in analytical study. "It's bound to have some magical properties to it…" He lied down and started to speed-read through the journal, "There's gotta be something in here that can help me out!"

A few chapters later, Dipper's eyes lit up upon coming across a particular passage:

_"Out of body experiences:_

_In my research, I have come across several circumstances in which individuals have taken on a façade of death of sorts. In truth, they had suffered a traumatic experience in which their physical and spiritual essences have been separated…"_

Dipper took a second to reflect on the description, "Well, it sounds awfully similar to what's happening with me." He sighed in relief, "At least this confirms that I'm not dead!" He returned to his finding,

"_While a reunion of both body and soul will generally return the subject to normal, there are several key factors to consider…_"

The young detective raised an eyebrow to the darken turn of the story.

_"At times, the spirit enjoys its newfound freedom a bit too much, and journeys far away from its earthbound shell. That is when one should be wary of the soul seeker."_

Dipper turned the page and gasped upon seeing the illustration on the other side of the page. It was the man in black that chased him throughout the Gravity Falls Woods!

_"Soul seekers gain their nourishment from capturing wayward souls and forcing them into the afterlife by any means necessary. Because of this immense hunger, they are unable to tell the difference between the recently departed and those whom have been merely separated from their bodies."_

"Well, _that's_ just swell!" Dipper scoffed. "Where was this guy when we were at the Dusk2Dawn? Playing hooky?"

"_While lost souls are unable to interact with the physical world, there have been cases where they have been able to contact those in the living world to which they share an unbreakable bond…_"

"Unbreakable bond?" Dipper questioned as he continued onwards.

"_An unbreakable bond_ - _a sense of universal caring and understanding that expands throughout any amount of time or space. It is this that allows two beings to connect no matter the distance or difficulty."_

Dipper closed the book and pondered, "If I have that kind of connection with anyone, it would definitely have to be – "

Abruptly, a shout from downstairs shattered his thoughts:

"HEY, EVERYBODY! I'M HOME!"

"MABEL!"

The boy jumped to his feet. He was often reminded time and time again of how twins are supposed to have a form of special link. Maybe such a thing would be his way out of this living nightmare! He ran through the closed bedroom door, only to be halted halfway.

"What the hey?" Dipper looked down to see that the still-solid journal prevented his exit. He cursed and groaned as he attempted to pull the tome across with him. After a few seconds of struggling, he threw the book down in anger, and took off towards the staircase.

"I ONLY STOPPED HOME FOR A SEC!" Mabel warned. "I'M GOING BACK WITH CANDY AND GRENDA FOR A SLEEPOVER!"

Dipper spun the corner and smiled at the sight of his braced twin.

"Oh, Mabel! Thank heavens you're ho – "

The detective froze as his sibling simply walked through him. She opened the closet door and began searching through its dusty contents.

"Mabel!" Dipper beseeched. "Can't you hear me? I really need your hel – "

She turned her head and yelled into the distance, "GRUNKLE STAN! DID YOU SEE MY –" Mabel halted as she loaded the object into her knapsack. "Nevermind…" she said in a sing-song voice.

"Mabel!" her twin begged, trying his best to hold back tears. "PLEASE! Can't you notice something's wrong?! "He attempted to place his hand on her sweater-covered shoulder, only to watch it fall through every time.

Suddenly, the brunette raised her head and looked around. An expression of confusion overcame the young girl's face. Dipper clenched his fists in excitement as he hoped that his pleas had finally made it through to the other side.

"Grunkle Stan!" Mabel cried out once more. "Have you seen Dipper? He should have been home hours ago?"

"YES!" the boy cheered. She knew something was amiss!

"Huh?" Dipper could hear the surprised response of his caretaker stemming from the next room other. "Didn't he say he was camping out tonight; or something like that?"

Mabel shrugged her shoulders, "Oh, okay then!"

"NO!"

The pre-teen picked up her backpack, and made her way to the family exit of the Mystery Shack, "I'm going now! If you guys see him, tell Dipper I said bye!"

"WAIT, MABEL! WAIT!"

Dipper was left totally helpless as his sister paused briefly to pet her pig Waddles goodbye, and swiftly made her way to a girls' night out.

"BYE, EVERYBODY!"

*SLAM*

In a stricken state of disbelief, Dipper sunk to his knees, and tried to comprehend his failure.

"But I…I mean…the book _said_…"

He looked down to see that Waddles had approached him, and oddly enough, tried to comfort the distressed boy with a series of licks. However, the small pink tongue simply went through Dipper's invisible form.

"Great…" he bemoaned to himself. "Only the pig can see me…some unbreakable bond!"

All of a sudden, Waddles's vision shot upwards. The pink pet's eyes enlarged deeply, and instantaneously, he let out an ear-piercing squeal as he turned tail and rushed into the parlor where Stan and Soos watched the best that primetime TV had to offer.

"What was that about?"

A split second later, all of the lights in the Mystery Shack shut off at the same time.

Dipper raised his head, only to be surrounded by eternal darkness.

"SOOS!" Stan Pines bellowed to his employee, despite being only inches away, "The power's gone out! Go find out what the deal is, eh?"

"Yes, sir!"

Dipper could hear the loud movements of his pal fumbling around in the dark.

"What else can go wrong?" As Dipper lowered his head, his eyes caught onto something that made his flesh crawl: a purple-colored smoke swirled around his knees.

"Oh, no….nononono!" Dipper jumped to his feet and started to turn in place, looking for any signs of movement in the perpetual black.

"I know you're out there!" he challenged as he twisted around. "Come on out!" With every second that passed, Dipper's nerves became even more ravaged.

"WHERE ARE YOU?!"

The lights turned back on as Soos's voice echoed throughout the small cabin, "GOT IT!"

Before he could react, Dipper felt two hands roughly grab him on the shoulders from behind. His mouth twisted into a gaping hole of horror as he turned around. His soft, shattered brown eyes met the pure, white undead ones of the soul seeker.

_"RIGHT HERE!"_ the otherworldly visitor roared as he tightened his grip on his victim.

Dipper tried to escape the iron-clad clasp, only to be pulled back. He slipped out of his navy blue vest and sped towards the staircase. As Dipper made his way upstairs, he could hear the reverberating of his opponent's enraged scream. The frightened child raced back towards his room in hopes of retrieving his abandoned journal. Perhaps it would have a clue on how to elude this creature.

Unexpectedly, Dipper felt something drag him down back to the splintered floor. He turned around to see that a gloved hand had reached from _beneath_ the floor and snagged his right ankle. Dipper attempted to kick himself loose with his free foot, only to have it captured moments later. He dug his fingernails into the wooden ground as he was dragged back through the floorboards.

Within seconds, Dipper was thrown roughly down on the tacky carpet that decorated the Pines' hallway. While stunned, he looked up to see the menacing grimace of the soul seeker. He was back exactly where the chase started!

_"It's like I said earlier, young one: there is no escape from me! Ever!"_

Dipper quickly recovered and raised his hands in self-defense, "WAIT!" he pleaded. "You don't have to do this! I'm really alive! I just need to find my body!" He bit his lip as he finished his sentence. Dipper had no idea how he had originally ended up in the woods, yet alone where his physical casing might be.

"_It matters not to me how you arrived at this destination_," the seeker sneered. _"You are a lost soul and it is my duty to retrieve you. That I have been commanded to do; therefore, I shall!"_

"Wait…" Dipper asked. "Commanded by whom?"

The monstrous figure fell silent as he advanced on the young boy. As the giant reached out, Dipper hopped away at the last moment. He spun around and dashed into the living room.

"SOOS! GRUNKLE STAN! YOU GOTTA HELP ME, PLEASE! HE'S GONNA GET ME!"

The adults remained stationed comfortably on their respective cushioned rest areas, totally unaware of that their friend was in dire need of their assistance. Dipper hustled over the sofa and around the recliner where his great-uncle sat. His devilish chaser circled around in an attempt to cut the adolescent off as the two adults remained oblivious that the spirits were jumping in and out through their physical forms.

Dipper stopped in his tracks as he was about to hit Waddles, whom had found a resting place at Stan's feet (only to remember that he couldn't make contact with the pig if he wanted to). The small, pink creature raised its head, acknowledging Dipper's presence. However, he cried out upon setting his sights on the soul seeker yet again. Waddles hopped up and ran off towards an escape, startling the grim figure temporarily.

"WOAH!" Stan leaped from the recliner as the frightened pig spiral out of control. He glanced back at Soos, "What's the deal with that thing?" After a second, he resumed his groove in his favorite chair as he mumbled to himself, "Stupid pig…"

Dipper noticed that his foe was caught off-guard by the swine's erratic actions, "This is my chance…" Without a second thought, he sprinted back into the hallway. Looking around for a getaway, he spied the closed-down Mystery Shack Gift Shop.

"Maybe I can stow away in the shadows; at least until tall, dark, and gruesome gives up!"

The hopeful pre-teen hurried through the open doorway and ducked down behind a cabinet full of mementos and souvenirs. As he struggled to catch his breath, Dipper could make out the deafening *STOMP* *STOMP* *STOMP* of the soul seeker's heavy boots. Very carefully, he peered from behind the counter to see the villain's pure white eyes illuminating the pitch black room, scanning every orifice for hints leading to his prey's whereabouts.

Oddly enough, the creature walked away from Dipper's location to stop in front of the worn out vending machine. He watched in quiet awe as the soul seeker tilted its head, examining the light behind the barely-lit appliance.

"I don't get it," Dipper thought, "Does it want a snack or something?"

The soul seeker lowered its head and to Dipper's surprise, walked though the vending machine. After a few moments of hesitation, the confused tween stood up from his hiding place.

"What is he doing?" Dipper figured that the supernatural beast was simply taking a shortcut through the walls to better track him down.

"In the meantime, I've got to find a better hiding place; somewhere that he can't get to, even with the ability to walk through walls…"

Lightning struck the boy's mind as he returned to the closet where Mabel was searching for her sleepover supplies. Unknown to everyone except for the Pines themselves, a small crawlspace was hidden at the very back of the closet. It was so tiny that only someone the size of a child could reach.

Dipper threw himself downward and crawled into the shelter. To prevent himself from being seen, he tucked his legs against his chest.

"All I have to do is hide out here, and hopefully, that creep'll –"

He instantly froze in place as his eyes focused on the two glowing lights just above him. The soul seeker was standing right above him!

Dipper lowered his head into his shirt, taking calming, quiet breaths. "It's alright…it's alright…" he cradled himself, rocking back and forth,"…as long as he didn't see me, I'm still safe…"

As the brute moved closer, he impeded in mid-step. Oddly enough, the seeker turned his body in the opposite direction. A low-key, chiming sound started to echo in Dipper's ears.

"That's strange…" Dipper commented. "I can hear…_a bell ringing_?"

An instant later, the behemoth grumbled and disappeared back through the closet door. Ecstatically, Dipper started to make his way out of the crawlspace.

"Wait a sec…this has to be a trick, right?"

Dipper slid back into the crevice, "I'll bet he's just waiting for me to pop out…" He wrapped his arms around his legs as he squeezed himself tighter and tighter. "I guess I have no choice but to wait it out in here…"

Seconds turned into minutes and minutes into hours. The young boy became wearier and more nerve wrecked with every passing moment. The pressure started to get to Dipper as the threat of the soul seeker flashed repeatedly throughout his mind:

_"There is no escape from me! Ever!"_

Tears started to flow down the twelve year-old's face as he faced the inevitable:

"That thing's right; I have no way out of this!" Dipper silently sobbed to himself, "The book was wrong! No can hear me! No one can help me! I'm all alone! I-I-It's only a matter of time before I slip up and he's takes me a – awa –"The child became so upset that he couldn't even finish his sentence.

Just as Dipper let out a loud sniffle, the closet door sprang open. Dipper raised his redden eyes to see that a tall, shadowy figure stood in the entryway. He quickly covered his mouth with both hands, feeling somewhat sheepish for letting his emotions get the best of him; especially in such a dangerous situation.

"Oh, no! I've given myself away!" Dipper shut his eyes tightly as he silently prayed, "Please don't find me…please don't find me…"

In his self-imposed darkness, Dipper could hear the scrunching of boots as the figure took a few steps closer to his position in the crawlspace. A second later, a bright light shone though his eyelids as the being called out to the hiding boy.

"Dipper?! Where are you?! I know _you're in there somewhere_!"


	3. Chapter 3

Dipper covered his eyes as the bright light blindsided him. He separated his arms and narrowed his vision to try to make out the sight before him.

"Dipper?! " A deep voice called out for the scared child, "Where are you?! I know you're in there somewhere!"

An instance later, Dipper could make out footsteps coming closer to the small cubby hole where he remained hidden.

_"This is it!"_ he thought to himself, _"I'm done for…"_

He could sense the presence kneeling down right in front of him. Strangely enough, the heavy tone became softer and somewhat more concerned.

"Dipper, if something's the matter, you can tell me. _Please_?"

That last, sincere word made Dipper open an eyeball to the outside world. Just mere inches from his face, Wendy Corduroy looked back and forth around the closet for any sign of her friend.

"W-W-Wendy?"

The teenager gasped at hearing the voice come seemingly out of nowhere. After a second to compose herself, she offered a dimpled smile, "Of course it's me, doofus. Who'd else would it be?"

"You wouldn't believe – " Dipper stopped in mid-sentence as he came to a comprehension. "She _can_ hear me…" He raised his voice with a joyous tenor, "Wendy, _you can hear me_!"

Wendy gave off a confused look, "Well, yeah, Dipper. I could hear you crying from all the way from the Gift Shop. Stan and Soos thought I was crazy, but I knew I heard you in here."

"Oh…" Dipper accidentally let a few tears and sniffles out. He couldn't believe it: a form of miraculous salvation had finally come in a red and green bundle.

"Come on, man," Wendy encouraged. "If something's the matter, you can tell me. I won't laugh or anything like that." She raised her hand and placed it against her heart, "I swear I'll try my best to help…" Despite her calm demeanor, Wendy was starting to worry. Something didn't seem right with her favorite pipsqueak; his voice sounded metallic and echoed as if he was far away.

Dipper lowered his head, "I'm in trouble, Wendy. _Serious trouble_, and I don't know how to get myself out. "

She waved away his concerns, *PSCH!* "I'd bet it's nothing that we can't figure out together…"

"I'm not sure about that, Wendy."

"Don't be so negative, Dip." The plucky girl peered deeper into the crawlspace, "But I can't do anything with you hiding in there. Will you come out already?"

Dipper let out another sob, "That's the problem, Wendy. _I'm right in front of you!_"

She raised an eyebrow to her companion's claim, "_What?!_" Wendy ducked her head deeper into the hole, unwittingly going through Dipper's transparent body, and pulled back, resting herself on her heels.

"This is a joke, right?" Her emerald eyes explored the confines of the dust-covered closet. "I swear, kiddo; you better not be trying to scare me, Dipper! If I see you rush out of nowhere –"

"Please, Wendy!" Dipper implored. "I know it sounds crazy, but you gotta believe me! I – I can't…"

Wendy could hear the twelve-year-old's voice start to break once again. She quickly held her hands up, "Okay, okay! I believe ya, buddy, but you have to calm down!" Realizing that it might take a while, the girl lowered herself to a sitting position. "Why don't you just start at the beginning?"

"Alright…" Dipper took a few deep breathes in order to calm himself down. "Last night, I woke up in the middle of the woods without any idea of how I got there. As I went to go home, this freaky looking guy tried to grab me, saying that he was going to 'take me to the other side…'"

Wendy nodded along with every line of the story, "Creepy…"

"I know, right?"

"How'd ya get away?"

Dipper continued with his narration, "Lucky for me, he was more brawn than brains …"

"Ah…"

"Anyways, I finally made it back to the Shack and tried to tell everyone here what had happened. At first, I thought they were ignoring me, but then it hit me: I was on a different plane of reality than them. They couldn't see me; they couldn't hear me; and I was able to go through them, as if I was see-through…"

"Wait," Wendy interrupted. "You're see-through? As in you can _see through_ other people?" Her freckled face became a bright red as she folded her flannel-covered arms against her chest as a precautionary measure.

"No, no!" Dipper corrected, his face quickly flushed as well. "Not like that! I mean like going through physical forms; not x-ray vision!"

"Oh!" Wendy resumed a relaxed position as she heartened Dipper to resume his tale.

"Suddenly, the man in black appeared in the house! I ran around the Mystery Shack, screaming for help, only to go unheard…"

"Dipper, I'm so sorry. That sounds terrible…"

"It's okay, Wendy. I was able to hide in the dark until he appeared to give up. I decided to hide in the crawlspace because it's the only place that I could reach that he couldn't…"

"Smart thinking…" Wendy complimented.

"Thanks; and that's it. I've been here ever since…"

"Wow…" Wendy was left speechless as she reflected upon Dipper's story. She raised her hand, "I have a question; why am _I_ the only one that can hear you?"

"I'm not exactly sure why," Dipper admitted. "My journal says that the only one who could hear me was –"

Dipper understood what this chance encounter with Wendy truly meant:

"_She's_ my unbreakable bond! _I share an unbreakable bond with Wendy_!"

For the first time throughout this nightmare, Dipper felt a hint of elation. The tiny boy became flustered by the idea that his connection with his redheaded secret love was stronger than the barriers of the physical world itself.

"Was what, Dipper?"

"Huh?" Wendy's voice brought him back to reality. "Well, I think it might be better to show you…"

Wendy raised her eyes to Dipper's suggestion, "Umm…" After a second, Wendy rose to her feet, "Okay, then. Lead the way…" A profound look overcame her face, "…I guess?"

Dipper crawled out of his hiding place, "Yeah, good point." He started towards the doorway, spun around and started walking backwards, "Just follow my voice, Wendy! I'm heading up the stairs to my bedroom!"

As she followed the sound of Dipper's commands, Wendy found herself in the Pines' living room, where her employer sat in his favorite recliner watching the newest episode of _Baby Fights_.

Dipper thought to himself of how this scene might be perfect for demonstrating his plight.

"Hey, Wendy!" the boy called out. "Watch...err…_listen_ to this!"

He walked up to his great-uncle's side, "Hi, Grunkle Stan! That's a nice monkey-suit you're wearing! Where did you get it? Were you grave-robbing again, or did you swipe it off of some poor tourist?"

Wendy bit her cheeks to prevent a stream of laughter from escaping.

"What?"

Startled, Stan Pines looked behind him to see the ginger giggling in the corner of the room. He was left unaware of his nephew by his left side. "Wendy!" he addressed his worker. "Don't cha know you can't sneak up on an old man like that?"

The girl cleared her throat, "Sorry about that, boss."

He narrowed his eyes at her, "What's so funny, little missy?"

"Oh? Nothing, Mr. Pines," She forced a cough, "Just a tickle in my throat…"

"Uh-huh." The elder returned his attention back to the television set. He waved the girl away, "Now, go on! You kids know better than to bother me between the hours of 2 to 4. That's when my shows are on!"

Wendy turned her attention towards a "PSST" sound emitting from the hallway. With a sheepish grin, the teenager slithered out of the room. Walking about aimlessly, she cupped her hands and whispered around, "Dipper?! Dipper?! Where'd you go?!"

The voice cried out in right in front of her, "Right here, Wendy!"

"BAH!" Wendy jumped back in reflex. She sighed to herself, "I don't think I'll ever give used to that!"

A shade of guilt came over Dipper, "Same here. But, you see what I'm talking about with Stan and everyone else?"

"Yep, it was kind of funny, but I could definitely see how it can be lonely, too."

Wendy looked up as her friend beckoned her upstairs, "Over here, Wendy! We're almost there!"

She carefully made her way up the rickety stairs and approached the wooden door leading to the twins' shared bedroom. Dipper popped his head out and led the way for his friend, "In here!"

Wendy clutched the doorknob and threw the door open. She took a second to observe the mixture of neat and messy, and serious and silly that made up her co-workers' living quarters.

"Have a seat, and I'll bring everything to you…"

She turned towards the orange-sheeted bed (which she guessed was Dipper's) and waited anxiously for whatever Dipper had in mind. The pre-teen ran to the corner of the room, where he had tossed the journal down earlier. He picked it up and headed towards his crush with his discovery.

"Here it is, Wen –"

As Dipper bought the book closer, something unexpected happened. A look of absolute terror spread across Wendy's dimpled face. With her mouth gaped open, she leapt up on the bed, and retreated until her back met the cracked wall. Wendy attempted to distance herself by extending her arms outwards, "WHOA! WHOA! WHOA! WHOA!"

Dipper froze on the spot. "What happened? Why does she look so…"

He took in the idea that through the eyes of Wendy Corduroy, the book rose up from the corner, flew into mid-air, and swiftly began to make its way in her direction. In other words, he had inadvertently scared the pants off of the fifteen-year-old!

"Sorry! My bad!" Dipper apologized as he set the Journal #3 down on the bed. "See? It's totally harmless!"

Wendy edged away from the wall and gently nudged the book with her mud-stained boot. She slumped back down on the mattress, "How…how did you do that? I thought you're see-though!"

"I am, but there's something about the book that lets me do so…" Wendy's questioning made Dipper remember how little did he truly know about the journal's magical properties. He made his way into the bed and sat at Wendy's side, "I have the passage bookmarked. See for yourself…"

After a slight hesitation, Wendy picked up the tome and opened to where Dipper had left off. Dipper watched in silence as her emerald eyes moved from left to right as she glared over the page. She turned the page and gasped at the sketch of the soul seeker.

Wendy lifted her head slightly, "This is the guy that keeps chasing you around?"

Dipper peered over her shoulder, "Yeah, that's him…"

The teen lowered her brow at the crude drawing, "I can see why you were so worked up! He's a big boy!" She turned the text around, trying to examine the page a bit clearer, "He might be as tall as my dad!"

"Bigger!" Dipper chirped in.

"Huh…" Wendy returned her sights to the following page, making Dipper gulp in nervousness.

"What is she going to say when she reads the part about the 'bond?'" he thought to himself. "Would she agree with the book in thinking that whatever link we share is definitely beyond the mere boundaries of casual friendship? Would she laugh in my face, chalking this up as a strange coincidence that gave a naïve little kid the wrong idea?"

Forever seemed to stretch on as Dipper waited for _any_ reaction from his lanky main squeeze. At long last, Wendy looked up to her side,

"So, this "unbreakable bond" thingie: you think this is the reason that I can hear you when no one else can?"

Dipper let out a series of nervous chuckles, "Hehehe, um…yeah…" He hung his head in embarrassment.

Wendy looked forward, her face sporting a complex expression. After a moment of quiet reflection, the girl revealed her opinion: "Huh…that _actually_ makes a lot of sense…"

Dipper looked up with surprised eyes, and focused solely on the teenager waxing poetic on his sloppily-made bed.

She glanced back in Dipper's direction, "I mean, if you think about it, you and I have been through _a lot_ together despite only knowing each other for a few months." Wendy began to count on her fingers, "We like the same foods; we find the same things funny; we go out and have adventures together; we even have the same little quirks…" A sly smile appeared on her freckled face, "…if that doesn't mean that we share something _special_, I don't know what would!"

Dipper, unable to hold in his excitement, cheered in agreement, "Well, yeah!" He immediately turned pink as Wendy's grin deepened. He was quick to break the awkward silence, "I mean, I concur."

Wendy laughed and shook her head at her friend's silliness. She turned the next page of the journal, only to find a new subject being explored. "Hey, what gives?" Wendy complained.

The invisible boy rubbed his shoulder in nervousness, "Yeah, that's where it ends…I have no idea what to do next…"

She tossed the journal to the side and set her feet to the ground, "There's only one thing to do. Like the book said, you need to find your body!"

"But, Wendy," Dipper protested, "I don't know _how_ this happened to me, yet alone _where_ it happened. How am I supposed to find it?"

The ginger held a hand up to her chin as she pondered Dipper's question. "You said you remember waking up in the woods, right? Chances are that's where your spirit was separated!"

Dipper slapped himself on the forehead, "_Why didn't I think of that?_"

Wendy pressed forward, "I'm sure that we'll find your body in no time!"

"_We'll_?"

She shot a determined look to the area where Dipper's voice stemmed from, "Well, yeah, little guy! Did you think I'd let you do this all on your own?"

Despite Wendy's reassurance, Dipper was still hesitant to set off on the quest, "But that soul seeker guy's still out there somewhere!"

Wendy sighed and took a knee in front of the bed. She faced forward in hopes that she was in the line of sight of her friend. Instead of trying to further coddle the petrified pre-teen, Wendy tried a different approach:

"Look, man. If you just sit here and do nothing, things are _never_ going to get any better! You'll end up stuck like this forever! I know it's scary out there, but you gotta be brave, okay?"

Wendy could tell by the absolute silence that she had reached her pal. She stood back up, "Besides, I'll be right there with you the whole time!" Wendy beamed down on the supposedly empty bed, "So whatdya say?"

Dipper looked up to see Wendy's glowing green eyes staring back at him. "_It's amazing_," he thought, "She doesn't know exactly where to look for me, and yet, her eyes are able to find me…" He hopped off the bed and met his sweetheart side by side, "You're right, Wendy; let's go!"

She smiled at her young charge, "I knew you'd come around, buddy!"

* * *

"Dipper, are you sure it's this way?"

Wendy glanced around the shade-covered woods in search of any clue leading to her comrade's whereabouts.

"I'm positive," Dipper pledged. "When I woke up, I was in the middle of a grassy meadow. We're close! I just know it!"

"If you say so…" Wendy didn't mean to dismiss her friend like that; it was the fact that "grassy meadows" could be considered a dime a dozen in the Gravity Falls Forest. Even though she knew these woodlands like the back of her hand, Wendy understood that this wasn't going to be such an easy task.

She heard Dipper yelp, "What was that?"

Wendy flinched in reflex, "What was what?"

"You didn't hear anything?"

Wendy double-checked around to put his worries to rest, "I don't see anything, Dip…"

"Oh!" His voice trailed off in an ashamed tone, "Sorry about that…"

A sense of guilt stemmed from the back of Wendy's mind as the two continued on. She wished that she could offer some sort of comfort to ease her jumpy friend's worries. Wendy made a quick suggestion:

"If it will help you relax, you can hold my hand if you want…."

A second later, the realization of her own words struck the fifteen year old as she remembered Dipper's condition, "…err…sorry, I didn't think that though…"

Suddenly, a cold shiver echoed through Wendy's body, making her cry out in shock. She glanced down to see nothing at her right hand, and yet, it felt as if something incredibly frigid had nipped at her fingertips.

"Is…Is that you down there?"

The boy's distant voice answered, "Sorry to make you jump like that. I shouldn't of…"

"No, it's okay," Wendy reassured. "You just surprised me. To be honest, it feels nice, especially considering the summer heat. It's kinda like holding a soda can that just came from the freezer!"

Both adolescents shared a much-needed laugh at the absurd comparison. As odd as it sounded, Wendy also found herself somewhat relieved that she had some sign (even if a bit uncomfortable) that Dipper was by her side (and that she wasn't talking to herself all alone in the woods).

Walking hand-in-hand, the duo explored deeper into the woods when Wendy's green eyes locked on to an object in the distance. She narrowed her vision to get a clearer look. Upon recognition, the super-tall girl pointed and shouted, "Look! There it is! I mean, there _you_ are! I mean, just look over there!"

Dipper turned away from his redheaded crush to see that his physical form was only a few yards away. His somewhat pale body was lying peacefully beneath a tall redwood tree. The blue and white pine-tree cap was tilted over his face. If one didn't know any better, the average person would have guessed that the pre-teen was merely napping.

"Come on, Dipper!" Wendy raced towards her goal, "Let's get you back to normal!"

Dipper took off right behind her, finding himself unable to keep up with the highly energetic teen.

"Hang on a sec, *WHEEZE!* Wendy! *COUGH!* I can't – "

"Keep up, little guy! We're almost there!"

As Wendy was moments away from her admirer's shell, the ground gave way beneath her booted feet. She shrieked as she was risked away into the air. Dipper stopped in his tracks and looked around to see what had just happened.

"Wendy?! Wendy?!" Where are you?!"

A voice yelled out from above him, "Dork, I'm up here!"

Dipper raised his sights upwards; the display before him instantly knocking the breath from his lungs. Wendy was trapped in a thick net and left dangling beneath a massive tree trunk. She struggled and kicked wildly in an effort to free herself.

"What the – how'd you get up there?"

Wendy clutched the sides of the mesh, her stubby fingers sticking out through the tiny holes, "I don't know! One second, I'm on the ground, and when I was about to reach you – " The ginger's face became a sickly pale as she realized the truth in what occurred.

Dipper tried to comfort his beloved, "Don't worry, Wendy! I'll get you down!" He jumped down and tried to reach for the net, only to have his hands go through the material with every attempt. "Oh no!" he despaired, "I forgot about that! What am I going to do now?!"

"Wait! Dipper!"

His attention returned to the teenager held hostage in the air, "Dipper, you need to get out of here!"

"WHAT?!" The twelve year old was thrown for a loop. This was the absolute last thing he expected his crush to say. "I can't leave you here like this!"

"Dipper, listen to me!" Wendy cautioned. "Think about it for a sec: who goes and sets random spring snare traps in the forest for no reason? Isn't it a bit of a coincidence that it was placed right next to your body? Dipper, _someone knew we were coming_!"

Despite his friend's cautioning, Dipper remained vigil, "That doesn't matter! I got you into this mess, and I'll get you out!" He rubbed his shoulder as he silently whispered, "…_somehow_…"

"Please, Dipper! You need to RUN! RIGHT NOW! Before something happens –"

"AACCKK!"

"Dipper! What's wrong?! Say something! _Please_!"

Unbeknown to Wendy, a black gloved hand had reached up from beneath the forest soil to seize Dipper by the throat. As the boy gagged, fighting to retain breath, he watched as another hand rose from the ground. It pressed down, pushing a dark form to the surface.

"No…"

The pure white eyes of the soul seeker completely captured Dipper's brown ones. As the menace rose from the dirt, he lifted Dipper higher into the air. The demonic creature grinned as Wendy screamed yet again, still oblivious to her partner in crime's plight:

"Answer me, Dipper! Are you alright?! Dipper!"

Abruptly, the sound of singular, yet somewhat sarcastic clapping echoed throughout the Gravity Falls Forest. All three looked in the direction of the percussive sound.

"Well, well, well..." a mysterious form called out from the shadows. "Fancy seeing all of you here..."

Dipper's eyes widen at the sight of the unknown host, "Oh, man! Not you! Anybody but you!"

Wendy wiggled around her prison in an attempt to get a better look at the visitor.

"Dipper! What's going on? Who is that?"


	4. Chapter 4

Dipper Pines couldn't believe his awful luck.

The night before, he awoke all alone in the Gravity Falls Woods, where he was accosted by a sinister man that wished to take him away to _the other side_. After narrowly escaping, Dipper returned home to make a shocking discovery: he wasn't a part of the physical world any longer! His body was able to go through solid matter; his voice went unheard by his family and friends!

After surviving a second attack by the man dressed in black garments (labeled a soul seeker by the Journal #3), Dipper had decided to hole up in a crawlspace in the Mystery Shack as he grew into desolation about his hopeless situation.

Fortunately, his whimpering was finally heard. The journal had told him the only person that would be able to reach him on this plane of reality was someone he shared an unbreakable bond with, to which their connection could never be truly severed or undone. As fate would have it, his secret crush, Wendy Corduroy turned out to be that _someone_.

Wendy coaxed the frightened boy out of hiding and calmed his rampant nerves. She even pledged to help Dipper retrace his steps in order to find his body. Going based on his narration, Wendy suggested starting the search in the forest.

After what seemed like hours, the friends finally came upon Dipper's separated form. Wendy sped ahead towards their destination only to find herself airborne a few seconds later. The teenager had unwittingly walked into a form of net-snare trap, holding her hostage and completely out of Dipper's reach. This peril made Wendy realize that someone had purposely plotted all of Dipper's misfortunes, and for this, pleaded to her young charge to make his escape. However, her loyal admirer refused to leave her side; a choice that he would soon live to regret.

In a true, undead fashion, a pair of hands rose from the forest floor and seized the fretful pre-teen! The soul seeker had finally caught up with his prey! With both adolescents captured, the alleged mastermind emerged from the shade.

"Well, well, well…" Lil' Gideon greeted his captive audience. "Fancy seeing all of you here…"

Dipper's eyes widen at the sight of his 9 year old nemesis, "Oh, man! Not you! Anybody but you!"

Wendy wiggled around her prison in an attempt to get a better look at the visitor.

"Dipper! What's going on? Who is that?!"

The suede dressed prodigy approached the dangling net, "I knew that if I waited long enough, that Dipper would be able to contact you and bring you here…" The creepy little kid blushed in an adorable fashion, "I know this seems harsh, but I promise, my peach dumpling, after he's out of the picture, everything will be – "

Lil' Gideon looked up to see Wendy sitting in the net, and lost his train of thought. He gasped at the sight of the ensnared ginger, "You're not my peach dumpling!"

Wendy scoffed and crossed her arms, "No kidding."

The spoiled child started to throw a tantrum on the spot, "No, no, no, no!" as he stomped his white boots through the dirt, "Mabel's supposed to be up there; not some plain-looking, mountain-town bumpkin girl!"

"HEY!" Wendy protested, "You're no prize pig yourself, kiddo!" She raised an eyebrow as the image of her captor flashed before her eyes. "Hold on, I remember you!"

"Oh, really?" the small menace prided, as he slicked back his long, white hair. He chuckled at Wendy's observation, "Let me guess. You've come to my live show? Or seen me on TV? It's always nice to meet an eager fan…"

The defiant girl rolled her eyes at the braggart, "No…you're that little fat kid that keeps stealing my moisturizer from the Gift Shop! We have security cameras there, ya know!"

"What the –"

Dipper tried to laugh at Wendy's zinger, but the death grip that the soul seeker had on his throat prevented the escape of any giggles.

"How dare you!" Gideon screeched as he pointed straight at Wendy. "Do you honestly think that you can mock me and get away with it?!"

After a moment of silence, Wendy glanced down and simply shrugged her shoulders, "Um…yeah, I guess so?"

"ARGGH!" the portly child grew even more enraged with the cool-headed female. He pulled at his hair in frustration, "You're just as insufferable as _that boy_!"

The mention of her friend made Wendy change the subject, "Speaking of, where is Dipper? What have you done to him?!"

Lil' Gideon chuckled to himself as he reached into his coat pocket, "My apologizes, little miss. Please allow me to offer you a better view…" He pulled out a small, yet rusted bell.

Wendy watched Gideon's actions with great confusion. "What is he going to do with a worn-out bell?"

Gideon began to ring the bell gently to his left. A series of sonic vibrations echoed from the item, blowing back loose leaves and branches. Within seconds, two shadows began to form in the empty field. The first was a giant of a person, reaching up to what Wendy guessed to be over 9 feet tall! The second form was that a small child with a medium build, which the first had clenched by the neck. His trademark trucker hat was a dead giveaway to his identity.

"DIPPER!"

"Quite impressive if I'd say so, "Lil' Gideon boasted. "This little baby not only allows us a view into the spiritual realm, but gives me total control over our gigantic friend here!"

Wendy recalled the description of the soul seeker from Dipper's journal. "Huh," she thought to herself. "I thought it was a bit weird that this thing was focusing solely on Dipper. After all, he can't be the only spirit-like thingie out there!"

"And without further ado…" Gideon rang the bell and bellowed to the monster holding his nemesis in a death grip, "Soul seeker! Hear your master! Drain the essence from that boy and rid him from this world!"

The soul seeker's smile stretched as his burly arms began to glow. Dipper began to howl in pain as the shining had spread down to his form. He wailed his arms and kicked his feet, trying to make a desperate attempt to escape, but it was to no prevail.

"DIPPER!" Wendy screamed in horror. She looked down to her subjugator, "Let him go right now, or I swear, I'll –"

"You'll do nothing!" Gideon laughed at the threatening girl above him. He sang to her in a falsetto voice, "After all, I'm down here, and you're all the way up there!"

"Grrr…" Wendy nervously clutched the net tighter as she was powerless to prevent the scene from unfurling. She closed her green eyes as they slowly filled with angry tears as Dipper's cries echoed throughout her mind.

"Wendy…"

She opened her eyelids and peered down to see that a severely drained Dipper had turned away from his attacker. He took his right hand and reached out towards his imprisoned secret love.

"Wendy…" His voice faded away with each syllable. "Just…don't…"

Her eyes broaden as Dipper struggled to finish his plea: "…don't…hurt…Wendy…"

Gideon recoiled at the request, "Hurt her? Why would I even c –"

The plump villain looked at his fallen adversary; of how his soft, brown eyes concentrated on the redheaded girl hanging overhead. He spun around to see that her pleading eyes sadly returned the favor as they watched with disheartened anxiousness.

The pint-size trouble maker exploded with maniacal laughter, "Oh, I get it now! I finally understand!" He skipped towards Dipper with a spring in his step, "Now, don't you worry about a thing, Dipper. I believe one good turn deserves another. After how you watch out for my marshmallow…"

Lil' Gideon slightly turned to stare at Wendy out of the corner of his eye, "…_the least I can do is return the favor. I'll be sure to take care of your lady friend after you're gone_!"

"AHHH!"

The young detective's screams filled the usually peaceful atmosphere of the Gravity Falls Woods once more.

"I have to do something!" Wendy panicked as she searched for an escape from her trap. "If I just sit here, _that psycho's going to kill us both_!" She knew that there was no way through the net without something to cut with. She raised her sights upward, prompting a new possibility.

"Wait a sec – that little creep set this up with Mabel in mind. I'll bet he didn't count on me being so tall…" With that, Wendy tried her best to bring her feet back under her. Very carefully, she rose up with shaky balance. Now standing upright, Wendy noticed that she could reach the branch in which the net was anchored to.

"Come on, come on!" Wendy slid her arms through the gaps at the top of the net. She fumbled around until her fingertips found the knot binding her to the tree. As she wrestled with the rope, she looked down to see that the color was almost drained from Dipper's form! His ear-piercing shrieks had become muffled groans. Lil' Gideon waited patiently for his rival's demise, clutching his hands rigorously in wait.

Wendy grit her teeth as her stubby fingers nearly undid the knot, "Almost…got…it…" She knew that her descent was definitely going to hurt, but the alternative would be ten times worse. The rope slid through her hands as Wendy fell back to the earth at an alarming speed!

Lil' Gideon noticed that a huge shadow had swiftly overcome him from above. He raised his sights to the sky, just in time to see the brown mass speeding towards him! He opened his mouth to let out a gasp…

*CRASH!*

Wendy stumbled out of the top of the net, holding her hand against her aching head. As she attempted to regain a form of clarity, a shining object stood out through the blurriness. Wendy rubbed her eyes and tried her best to focus.

"It's that bell!" she exclaimed. "That Gideon kid said he used it to control the seeker!"

She crawled out of her former prison, stopping every other moment as her legs would become entangled in the netting. As Wendy reached out for the item that could save her friend, she felt something extremely heavy jump onto her flannel covered backside. She groaned in agony as it screeched in her ear:

"You soulless ginger! You think you've won?! No one gets the best of Gideon Charles Gleeful!"

Wendy winced in pain as the malevolent child gripped her long, messy red hair in an effort to stop her from proceeding forward. Fed up with the overzealous brat, Wendy roared in anger and rolled on to her back.

"Well," Wendy warned as she narrowed her eyes at Gideon, "You've obviously never messed with a Corduroy before, have you?" Before the devilish boy could react, the lanky teen delivered a well deserved mud-stained boot to his face. With Lil' Gideon stunned, Wendy grasped the bell, rose to her feet, and rung her heart out.

"Hey!" Wendy shouted over the excessive ringing. "Listen to _me_ now! Drop that dweeb! He's with me!"

The haunting glow faded from the hulking shadow as he turned away from Dipper. Wendy's emerald eyes became lost in the demon's pure white ones. As commanded, the soul seeker released Dipper. The exhausted boy slumped to the forest floor as he gagged and gasped for air. Goosebumps began to form across her freckled skin as the creature crept towards Wendy. Her sights aimed upwards as the towering giant gazed down on her stunned girl. Unexpectedly, the soul seeker dropped down to one knee and extended a muscular arm out to her, making Wendy jump back in reflex. He turned his hand and offered an opened palm.

_"What is thy bidding, mistress?"_

Wendy's mouth draped open at the sight of the menacing hunter turned loyal servant. Suddenly, she heard a shout from behind her:

"That's mine! You don't know what you're doing!"

Wendy turned her head to see that Lil' Gideon was rushing towards her. She held the tyrannical psychic at bay with her free hand while holding the bell above her head, keeping it safe from Gideon's hold. Wendy returned her attention to Dipper, whom was still lying quietly on the ground. He offered a small smile and a nod. As if she understood his intentions, Wendy returned a suggestive nod as well.

"Your "_mistress_…" Wendy proclaimed, rolling her eyes at her newly-christened title, "…wishes for you…"

The determined fifteen year old dropped the ancient item and placed her foot on top of it.

"NO, YOU FOOL! DON'T DO IT!"

"…_to be free_!"

Wendy pressed down with all her weight while continuing to restrain her attacker. The worn-out icon easily collapsed under her lumberjack boot. An odd purple cloud rose up from the remains and quickly dissipated into the air.

"NO!"

Lil' Gideon broke free from Wendy and dropped to his knees. He tried to scrape up the remainders of the broken bell, only to have the pieces slip between his fingers. Both adolescents looked back as a loud growl reverberated throughout the forest. The soul seeker stood back up and once more, advanced towards his liberator. Gideon backpedaled away as the frightened teen found her feet frozen to the foliage filled earth. The beast snorted as Wendy closed her eyes and prepared for the worst, "Maybe it wasn't the brightest idea to leave this thing to its own devices…"

_"Thank you, child…"_

"Huh?"

Wendy opened an eyelid to see that the soul seeker was bowing towards her with his gloved hands poised together. She beckoned to the humble being before her, "Wait, what did you just say?"

The black haired warrior offered an earnest, but somewhat intimidating smile, _"You have released me from my bondage. I am free to resume a peaceful existence. You have my eternal gratitude…"_

"Hmm…" Wendy could only think of one particular wish that she could ask for. The freckled teen motioned downwards towards a still withering and completely drained Dipper, "Well, you can help me return him to his real body…"

The soul seeker lowered his head in understanding. He bent down towards the fallen boy, making him hyperventilate in fear.

"It's okay, Dipper," Wendy calmed her friend, "He's going to help…I _hope_…"

The behemoth scooped up the shivering pre-teen and cradled him like an infant. He gently walked over to the tree supporting the eternally slumbering, whitened form of Dipper Pines. The soul seeker dropped down tenderly and lowered the smaller shadow into Dipper's body.

A bright light radiated from the spot, shortly engulfing the whole forest in its radiance. Wendy shielded her eyes until the shining relented. She peeked out to see the soul seeker rise, and shortly after, noticed that the color was slowly returning to Dipper's face.

Wendy asked as the soul seeker walked past, "Is he going to be alright?"

The dark form halted and turned towards the concerned ginger, _"You have no reason to fear. It is as you requested." _

"Thank you…for saving him…"

The soul seeker nodded as he reached into his trench coat and pulled out his ringed Stetson hat. He placed it on his head as he prepared to make his leave. He stopped a few yards away and stared down at Lil' Gideon as he continued to lament over his lost artifact.

_"As for you, venomous child!"_ The seeker yanked the self-proclaimed prophet upwards by his shirt collar. _"Did you think that you can tamper with the dark forces and not pay the consequences for your actions?"_

With that, the towering powerhouse snatched up the squealing lad and started to drag him into the darkness.

"Wait!"

Wendy was almost afraid to ask, "You're not going to…" She lowered her eyes to the ground, "…you know…"

He spun around, "_We soul seekers are not allowed to take the essence of living beings…" _ His empty, white eyes refocused on the boy he held at bay, "_However, you would be surprised to see what one can live through…"_ He turned his back on Wendy, "_Fare thee well. Until the next time we meet…"_

Lil' Gideon kicked and screamed as he was taken by force. Seconds later, his shrill voice had vanished into thin air, only to be replaced by the graceful and serene sounds of nature.

With both threats gone, Wendy flew to Dipper's side. Landing on her knees, she slid her arms under his tiny frame and hoisted him up.

"He's warm," Wendy noted, "but why isn't he waking up?" She tenderly rocked her friend as she soothingly whispered to him, "C'mon, Dipper. You got to wake up…" Wendy looked around the secluded forest as if she expected something else to happen. "That soul guy said you'd be okay…" She gazed down at the boy in her arms with shiny eyes, "So, please, _be okay_…"

"Ugh…"

A tooth-filled grin spread across Wendy's dimpled face as she watched Dipper's eyes started to flicker. Somewhat dazed, Dipper looked up to see his secret crush wiping something away from her green eyes.

"Hey…"

"Welcome back…" she sweetly greeted.

"Thanks…"

All of a sudden, Dipper shot up, nearly knocking Wendy in the forehead. He began to feel around his body, smiling at the fact that his hands didn't go through. As a final test, Dipper reached down and picked up Wendy's hand, unintentionally making the redhead blush.

"I'm…I'm back to normal…" Dipper looked up to see Wendy nodded along with him. With a burst of energy, he let go of her hand and tightly embraced her, catching Wendy off guard.

"I'M BACK TO NORMAL!" The enlivened boy squeezed his secret love with everything he had. Dipper pulled back to meet her face-to-face, "Wendy, I don't know what to say! You…you saved me!"

"PFFT! Don't mention it, dork! It was nothing, really. Besides, you'd do the same for me, right?"

Dipper continued on, "Yeah, but it was more than that, Wendy! You are like my hero…err…_heroine_! You put Gideon in his place and even went toe-to-toe with that huge freak! How can I thank you for everything?"

"Dipper, you don't – "

"What if I do all of your chores at the Mystery Shack for you?"

"Really, Dip, you don't have to –"

"What if I personally drive you around in the Mystery Cart anytime you need; you know, like your own personal chauffeur? That way, you don't have to ask anyone else for rides?"

"That's not necessary. Honest, Dipper…"

Perplexed, Dipper made one last offer:

"Well, at least, can I treat you to some dessert at Greasy's Diner? We _have_ been running around all day…"

Before Wendy could respond, her tummy let out a growl, as if it was begging her to reconsider.

"Hmm…you know; on second thought, that's not a bad idea." She patted her upset stomach, "I am getting kinda hungry…"

Delighted, Dipper took Wendy by the hand, nearly knocking her right off her feet, and started to head back towards town. As he led the way, the high spirited boy spend every second singing her praises. Wendy could only smile and shake her head in disbelief at her friend's over exaggerations. She looked down at Dipper, who frequently glanced back at her with a sense of wonder and admiration as he navigated his way home, and wondered if she had accidentally created a little monster of her own. Wendy decided to look on the bright side of things: Dipper was safe, and both of them had made it through the experience unscathed. Perhaps _some_ celebration was in order.

"Then again…" Wendy wondered to herself, "…maybe a little hero – I mean, _heroine_ worship wouldn't be so bad after all…"

_ April 30, 2014 – May 28, 2014_


End file.
